Introduction: Why Leaders Need to See the Unseen
It’s easy to picture violence as something that happens behind closed doors. A sudden argument. A physical injury.
It’s harder to picture abuse as a text message about “where’s your pay going?”, or a demand to hand over bank login details, or a phone call insisting you leave work early — again — to “prove” where you are.
That’s the hidden nature of economic abuse and coercive control. These behaviours don’t always leave bruises. They leave debt. They leave fear. They leave a person unable to plan their day, their future, or their own lunch break without approval.
And they show up at work — more often than most leaders realise.
According to Safe Work Australia’s Family and Domestic Violence Information Sheet, workplaces are not just “bystanders” in this. They can be both a site of harm and a site of safety. For employers, this makes economic abuse and coercive control workplace health and safety (WHS) risks, not just personal matters.
This blog explores:
- What economic abuse and coercive control look like at work
- How to recognise them
- Why they’re a WHS and business issue
- What leaders can do — today — to reduce harm
Section 1: Understanding the Terms
What is Economic Abuse?
Economic abuse is a form of family and domestic violence where one person controls another’s access to money, work, or financial resources to reduce their independence.
Examples:
- Preventing someone from working, or forcing them to quit
- Controlling how wages are spent or accessed
- Forcing someone to take out loans or credit in their name
- Sabotaging transport to prevent them from getting to work
In the workplace context, this could mean:
- A worker’s pay being redirected to someone else’s account
- Constant calls or visits from a partner demanding money
- Pressure to resign or reduce hours against their will
What is Coercive Control?
Coercive control is a pattern of behaviour designed to dominate and isolate a person, often without physical violence.
It’s about creating an environment where the victim feels constantly monitored, dependent, and afraid of consequences.
At work, coercive control may include:
- Frequent unannounced visits or calls
- Demands to share work calendars or emails
- Tracking through workplace devices or apps
- Criticising or undermining professional performance
Section 2: How This Shows Up at Work — Real-World Signs
From a WHS perspective, economic abuse and coercive control can manifest as psychosocial hazards. They affect a worker’s mental health, ability to perform, and physical safety.
1. Attendance and Reliability Changes
- Unexplained absences or frequent late arrivals
- Sudden changes to hours that don’t align with personal preference
- Requests for unpaid leave without clear reasons
Possible workplace link: The person may be prevented from attending work or forced to prioritise the perpetrator’s demands.
2. Performance Fluctuations
- Drop in concentration or productivity
- Difficulty meeting deadlines
- Over-apologising for small errors
Possible workplace link: Coercive control often involves psychological abuse, leading to anxiety, exhaustion, and diminished cognitive focus.
3. Financial Red Flags
- Salary payment details frequently changed
- Pay advances requested more than usual
- Asking for payslips or proof of income in unusual circumstances
Possible workplace link: A perpetrator may be controlling income or using debt to trap the victim.
4. Physical and Digital Intrusions
- Partner or family member waiting outside the workplace regularly
- Multiple daily calls/texts checking whereabouts
- Requests from the worker to block or change workplace email/phone access
5. Social Withdrawal at Work
- Avoidance of workplace social events
- Reluctance to speak freely about personal life
- Overly anxious about being late or missing a call
Important note: None of these signs on their own confirm abuse. But patterns — especially combined with visible distress — should prompt a supportive, confidential conversation.
Section 3: Why This is a Workplace Issue — Not Just “Personal”
Leaders sometimes hesitate to engage because they see DFV as private. But the Safe Work Australia guidance is clear:
“Family and domestic violence can affect a worker’s health and safety, even if it happens outside the workplace.”
Three main reasons:
1. Legal Duties Under WHS Laws
Employers have a duty to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety so far as reasonably practicable. That includes psychosocial hazards, which DFV can create or exacerbate.
2. Business Risks
- Productivity loss: Economic abuse can force people out of work or reduce their capacity to perform.
- Turnover costs: Staff may resign to escape unsafe situations.
- Reputation damage: Failure to respond appropriately can lead to public and legal consequences.
3. Moral and Cultural Imperative
Work is often the only safe place for someone experiencing coercive control or economic abuse. Employers who step up can literally change — or save — lives.
Section 4: What Leaders Can Do
Drawing on Safe Work Australia’s recommendations, here’s how to build a workplace environment that recognises and responds to these issues.
1. Create a Psychologically Safe Reporting Culture
- Train leaders to respond with empathy and without judgement.
- Ensure multiple, confidential reporting pathways.
- Make it clear in policies that disclosures will be taken seriously.
2. Adjust Work Arrangements Where Needed
- Flexible hours or remote work if it increases safety
- Temporary role relocation if the workplace is a risk point
- Controlled access to contact details to prevent tracking
3. Safeguard Income
- Offer secure payment methods
- Provide financial counselling services via EAP or external partners
- Protect against unauthorised changes to bank details
4. Strengthen Physical and Digital Security
- Alert reception/security to any identified risks
- Restrict unauthorised workplace access
- Review IT security for unauthorised access to email, rosters, or calendars
5. Embed DFV into WHS Risk Management
- Include DFV scenarios in psychosocial hazard assessments
- Consult with workers when creating controls
- Review control measures regularly
Section 5: Example — Turning Awareness into Action
Imagine this scenario:
Sarah, a payroll officer, changes her bank details three times in two months. She’s also taking unusual unpaid leave. Her manager notices she’s quieter than usual and has received several calls at work that make her visibly distressed.
Instead of assuming it’s “not work-related,” the manager:
- Arranges a private conversation using a DFV conversation framework.
- Offers access to paid DFV leave and EAP services.
- Flags the risk with HR and security, ensuring Sarah’s contact details are restricted.
- Works with Sarah to change her hours temporarily.
Result? Sarah stays in work, feels supported, and the business meets its WHS obligations.
Section 6: Checklist for Leaders
Recognising potential workplace indicators of economic abuse/coercive control:
- Unexplained attendance changes
- Salary changes or financial distress
- Frequent, intrusive contact from outside
- Anxiety or withdrawal patterns
- Hesitation to engage in workplace life
First steps if concerned:
- Create a private, supportive space for conversation
- Offer information, not pressure, about support options
- Document any agreed changes for safety and leave
- Maintain confidentiality at all stages
Conclusion: Seeing the Whole Person
Economic abuse and coercive control don’t always announce themselves loudly. They creep into daily life, shaping choices and eroding independence.
For workplaces, the challenge — and opportunity — is to see what’s happening, respond without judgement, and create systems that make safety possible.
Because when you recognise these invisible chains and choose to act, you’re not just fulfilling a compliance obligation. You’re giving someone the space to breathe, to rebuild — and to stay in work on their own terms.
